Tale of the Dead
by Just Crucio It
Summary: Everybody starts somewhere, even priestesses bent on revenge. This is Nimueh's story, and how she became who she was.
1. The beginning

Our story starts in the way most stories start, with a loss.

I am afraid that this makes our story very unoriginal, but I have no say in who lives and dies for I am just the story teller not the creator.

Now, in your mind, go back a few hundred years to a time of kings and castles, of quests and magic. Are you there? Good.

Imagine a village. It is fairly decent in size and the villagers are pleasant most of the time. In this village, imagine there lives a baker. Every day, the baker does the same thing.

First, the baker will get up at the crack of dawn and open his little shop. He will then spend the majority of the day kneading dough and baking bread. He will then sell most of that day's work and earn a decent wage. Then when the sun begins to set he will leave his shop with two loaves of bread. One loaf he will trade with the butcher for a slab of meat and the other he will take to his family.

Once in his little home at the edge of town, he will kiss each of his daughters on the tips of their heads and then he will ask his oldest, "How is she?"

The girl will just sadly shake her head and then begin to cook the meat on the fire she has prepared. The baker will then move to sit by his sick wife's bed and he will stay that way for the rest of the night.

One day though, the baker's routine will change.

He will work for most of the day until worry over his sick wife overtakes him. Then he will stop by the blacksmith's and buy a cart before racing home to his family.

He will then load his sick wife into the cart and leave his 11 year old daughter behind to watch over the shop and he will stick his six year old in the cart with her mother. Then he will hand his daughter a bucket of water and instructions to continually wet her mother's brow and to tell him if she goes.

The baker now will drag the cart all the way to the great kingdom of Camelot to the court physician.

I know that you may want to hear that the physician was able to heal the baker's sick wife and their family lived happily ever after, but that is not the case.

But it does not matter, for this is not the story of the baker, but of his youngest daughter and this moment, when her father takes her and her mother to Camelot, is the one that will shape the rest of her life.


	2. New Faces and the Loss of Old Ones

The cart shook and bumped the whole way to Camelot. Nimueh had to struggle to hang on and accomplish what her father had said.

Her mother looked so pale; it scared Nimueh to see her like that, so weak and frail. Ninniane said that mum was dying but Nimueh didn't believe her. Their mother was strong; she wouldn't just die from some stupid sickness.

"Mam?" The sick woman slowly opened her eyes, gently smiling at her daughter.

"Yes Nimph?"

"Don't die, please don't die!"

Her mother's eyes became sad. "Of course I won't sweetheart. You'd be all alone with your sister then, and we can't have that."

Nimueh giggled and began to smooth her mother's brow.

"I'm going to tell you a story."

And she did. For the rest of the way to Camelot she told her mother story after story.

Finally the cart arrived at the gates to the city. They followed the crowd until they reached the gate. Guards were lined up, telling everyone where to go. One turned to her father. "Reason for being in the city?"

"We are here to see the physician, my wife is sick."

The guard nodded and gave the baker directions then motioned for him to leave.

As they entered the city, Nimueh gasped in amazement.

She had never seen a place so big in her life! There were people everywhere. They were walking around, bartering with others, there were mothers holding babies, children running around playing games, and for Nimueh, best of all were all the sorcerers.

They were everywhere. Some were preforming; amazing little tricks that had everyone watching gasping with wonder. There were some who were just using it to complete mundane tasks; there was one woman who had a rug beating itself while her clothes washed themselves.

It was all so wonderful and Nimueh was standing up in the cart, squealing in delight. It took everything in her power not to run out of the cart and to the nearest magician. Her mother clasped her hand between her weak ones and smiled up at her daughter. Nimueh returned it and immediately took to ranting about the amazing things she had seen.

Soon her father was throwing back comments of his own and Nimueh had never been happier.

They came quickly to the palace courtyard and Nimueh was even more amazed than before. The palace was HUGE! There were towers and battlements and it was beautiful.

Her father pulled the cart off to the side and ran to talk to a guard. Nimueh stayed in the cart and looked around, trying to commit everything to memory.

Soon her father came back. He motioned for her to get out of the cart, then he moved to pick up her mother.

She fought at the idea of him carrying her all the way to the physician's chambers, but it was only halfhearted and she was too weak to move on her own.

The baker began to walk towards a door and Nimueh trotted slowly behind.

They walked up a few flights of stairs, and Nimueh was disappointed to note that they didn't run into anyone.

Soon they were at a wooden door. Nimueh's father knocked and they waited a few moments.

She could hear the sounds of someone tripping over themselves, and there were a few muttered words that she couldn't quite make out.

The door opened and Nimueh saw a young man, not much more than a boy. "Yes? What can I do for you?"

"Are you Nerdren, the court physician?" The man shook his head. "I am Gaius, his apprentice. Nerdren is out seeing a patient. If you tell me what you need, I may be able to help.

Nimueh's father nodded and began to speak. "I am Deiniol. My wife is gravely ill and I was hoping Nerdren might be able to help her."

The man raised one of his thick eyebrows then took her mother from her father's arms. "I will take a look, see what I can do. My master should be back soon; you can wait here until he does. I suppose you are not from Camelot?" He waited for the baker to respond with a shake of the head before he continued. He then began walking back into the room and gestured for the others to follow.

Once inside, Nimueh immediately began to look around. The room was small and very cluttered. There was a table in the center of the room piled with notes, many books, and things Nimueh had never seen in her life.

There was also a door to another room and Nimueh desperately wanted to see what was inside.

Gaius moved quickly to the back of the room and placed the sick woman on a cot. He then turned back to Nimueh and her father. "You both can try to get comfortable, though I don't know where you'll sit."

The baker stepped forward and began clearing himself a spot at the table and Nimueh immediately followed.

They sat there for a while, watching Gaius as he worked, placing a wet cloth on the mother's forehead and moving around the workplace, grabbing different items and mixing strange concoctions.

Soon the door opened and a tall man walked in. He had grey hair that was beginning to bald and a cool stare that made Nimueh's blood grow cooled.

The man's eyes widened when he saw the people in his workshop and his eyes immediately sought out his apprentice.

"Gaius, who are these people?"

The boy's head shot up in surprise; he had obviously not heard the door open. "This is Deiniol and his daughter. His wife is gravely ill and he came here to see if we could help."

Deiniol stood up and moved towards Nerdred. "I can pay, whatever you charge I can pay. Please, she needs help."

Nerdred's gaze became sympathetic and he nodded, then moved forward to shake the baker's hand. "Alright, I will see what I can do. But your daughter must go and wait in the back room; this is no place for a child." He nodded in Nimueh's direction then strode past them towards the patient, not giving Deiniol time to respond.

Nimueh pouted and turned to her father to argue, but he just shook his head and scowled. "He is right love. Just go and wait in the room, maybe try and get some sleep. I will come and get you if anything changes."

The girl sighed and stomped over to the door, turning as she reached it and suck her tongue at her father.

The room was bare, with nothing but a bed, a window, and a cumboard. Nimueh's eyes immediately found the window and she ran to it. She stared at the city for what felt like hours, memorizing every detail, studying people as they past.

It was boring in that room. The adults were taking forever and Nimueh didn't like it one bit. She tried to distract herself, but the room was so small it was a hard task. Eventually, she fell asleep.

She was awoken by a hand grasping her shoulder.

The motion startled her and she felt her magic reach out in defense. She heard the intruder fly into the wall and she immediately turned to look, suddenly worried.

She saw the physician's apprentice laying crumpled by the door, beginning to rise.

He looked unhurt but very surprised and Nimueh grew nervous. "I didn't mean to, but you should really not wake people like that."

The boy got to his feet and gaped for a minute until he finally found the words to speak. "How did you do that? That was powerful magic, and it was instinctive! You didn't even say a spell!"

The child's little heart filled with delight at the obvious impressed look on Gaius' face and she smiled. "Yes, I did. I've always been very good with magic but I don't know any spells. Now tell me, how is my mother?"

Gaius' smile fell and he grew serious. Nimueh's happiness instantly fled as a sense of foreboding filled her mind. "You see, the sickness was very far along and your mother was already beginning to die. There was nothing we could do."

Nimueh screamed and she bolted out of the room, running until she reached her father who was seated at the table with his head in his hands. He looked up when he felt his daughter's presence and he immediately gathered her in his arms.

"I'm sorry little Nimph, they tried, but it must have been her time."

The girl shook her head and she whipped her head around, seeking out her mother's lithe form.

She saw Gaius and Nerdred with their heads bent together, discussing something in quiet whispers, but no mother.

Her head turned back to her father. "Where is she."

The baker sighed, a heavy, depressing sigh. "I did not feel it was a good idea for you to see your mother like that. As soon as her life faded, Nerdred sent for guards to take the body. He was able to arrange for her to be buried right at the edge of the city."

At her father's words, Nimueh burst into tears and buried her face in his shoulder.

They stayed that way for hours, sharing their grieve.

The hug was interrupted by the physician, a cynical expression on his face. He turned to Nimueh, looked into her eyes, and began to speak. "I hear you have impressive magic, I would like to see."


	3. Proposals

After a nod from her father, Nimueh had shown Nerdren what magic she knew. She was then once again sent to the back room, and even though she wanted very much to complain, she kissed her father on his cheek before doing as he had asked.

Once inside the room, she had immediately flung herself on the bed and let the tears pour down her face. She stayed that way for hours, just thinking and crying.

It wasn't fair that her mother should leave her, wasn't fair at all. How could she have been so selfish to leave behind her husband, her daughters? Nimueh began to shudder. Oh Ninniane! What would she think? She was right, their mother had died, and in that moment Nimueh hated her sister for saying such a thing.

After her tears had dried up, she walked slowly towards the door, careful not to make a sound, and placed her ear against the hard wood.

She wasn't able to hear much, only the quiet whisperings of voices. Every once and a while she would hear a word like, "magic" or "safer," but she didn't understand what it all meant and she hated she wasn't deemed worthy to talk with the adults.

The sun was starting to set and Nimueh was considering running out of the room when the door opened and her father came in.

She stood up from her spot on the bed, staring at her father and fighting the urge to run at him. Slowly the baker moved forward until he was standing in front of his daughter, and he took her hand as he crouched into a kneeling position.

Nimueh looked at her father curiously and he sighed, kissing her knuckles. "Nimueh, I know you have had quite the traumatic day, and I am very sorry for bringing you here, but I have some new you might find good."

He paused here, waiting for a response, but the little girl just stared at him. "Well, Nerdren was greatly impressed with your magic and would like you to be his magical apprentice."

Nimueh couldn't help the gasp that escaped her. The cold physician wanted to teach her magic? Her father apparently took his daughter's sigh for encouragement and smiled.

"You'd have to stay here in Camelot of course, but you'll learn all you can and be provided with food and board."

Leave her father and sister? She tried to hate the idea, tried to become incredibly sad and scream that she didn't want to be away from her family, but her attempts were useless; the idea of learning magic coursed through her veins, pulling her apart and igniting her bones. "Could I really stay?"

Deiniol's smile grew sad and Nimueh at once felt bad for hurting her father. "Of course can little Nimph, now let's go talk to your knew master." Then he kissed her forehead, stood up, and pulled her out of the room.

After her father had left the tiny chambers, Nerdred had been called to see a patient. Now Nimueh was sitting on the table, swinging her little legs around and watching as Gaius moved around, making stew.

Nimueh sighed. "Is it always this dull here?"

Gaius turned and looked at the girl in surprise. "Dull? No, usually not. Today is just a slow day."

The baker's daughter gave another sigh and plopped her head down on the table. She heard Gaius laugh and she stuck her tongue out at him. This only made him laugh harder and his shoulders started shaking so much, Nimueh was afraid he would spill her stew.

He plopped a bowl in front of her then sat at the table on the other side, digging into his meal.

"Gaius, do you have magic?"

He looked a little surprised at this question. "I've learned a thing or two, but I'm not well versed in it."

She nodded as if this answer was what she was expecting, but she couldn't help the disappointment she felt.

Gaius seemed to notice this for he stood up and began to speak. "Trowch tân i fywyd." Nimueh watched with bated breath as his eyes turned gold and the fire on the candle rose upwards, forming into a bird. It flew around her head before fizzing out and turning onto ash.

Nimueh giggled and clapped her hands. Gaius smiled and bowed. "Now it really is time for you to go to bed."

Nimeuh pouted. "What? But that was amazing! How can I sleep after that?"

Gaius laughed. "You're first magic lesson is tomorrow. If you go to bed now, it will come sooner."

The little girl gasped and ran to the back room, laughter following her.

She woke up fairly early the following morning, excitement coursing through her veins. Carefully she walked out of her room, a skip in her steps, and sat down at the table. To her dismay, Gaius was still asleep on his little pallet and Nerdren was nowhere to be found.

Nimueh sighed, drumming her fingers on the table. She stayed that way for a while, but soon she stood, placing her boots on her feet and striding out the door.

Cool air filled the silent hall, causing Nimueh to shiver. She moved down the steps and into the courtyard below.

There were people everywhere, even though it was what Nimueh considered early, and she watched as they went about their day. The sun was just beginning to rise, and it glistened against the castle stone.

A group of beautiful woman stood in the middle of the yard, dressed in deep scarlet robs. Men eyed them from a far, but none approached. Nimueh paid this group no mind, instead continuing down to the lower town where she had seen the magicians.

She passed by many, some breathing fire and others changing their ears to those of different animals, and she stopped to watch each one for a moment before she kept walking.

This was the way the morning was spent, skipping up and down the streets, pausing every so often to see something marvelous. However, her walk was cut short when she felt a hand grab her arm.

She looked up in surprise, a shout on her lips, but it died when her eyes met that of her offender's. He was an old man, with long white hair, reaching down to almost his knees and an equally long beard. His eyes were a deep blue, and all though they were the eyes of an old man who had seen too much, there was a sparkle of youth and humor that instantly made her trust him.

The man smiled at her and put a finger to his lips before he pulled her into a small cottage.

Inside there were shelves and shelves of herbs and vials, and it looked much like the apothecary. The only personal looking items were a worn table surrounded by chairs and in the far corner, a strange staff propped up against the wall.

The old man gestured for the little girl to sit at the table, and she did so, looking at him in confusion.

The man sighed. "I suppose you'll want to know why you're here." Nimueh nodded, too afraid to open her mouth.

She watched as he walked to the back of the room to a shelve she had not seen at first glanced filled with strange artifacts. He pulled out an oddly decorated bowl and placed it on the table, then sat across from her.

"You are Nimueh, correct?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know my name?"

The old man chuckled, but a guilty look grew in his eyes. "Oh, I have met you before."

"You have? But I swear I have never laid eyes on you in my life."

Again he chuckled. "I said that I have met you, not that you have met me. For it is your future, and my past."

Although she thought she should have been confused, this sentence made sense to her and caused confidence to surge through her. "You must be fair. You know my name, but I don't know yours. We can't talk until we know each other."

The man nodded and began to caress his beard. "You are right, of course. I wish you were this well-mannered when we first met. My name is Emrys."

* * *

**Yay, it's the weekend! This means more time for me to write. I hope this is as awesome of a cliff hanger as I think it is and makes all of you want to review...**

**Trowch tân i fywyd: Turn this fire into life**

**I just used Welsh for the spell, as I know no Ancient English and I just used google translate, so sorry for any inaccuracies. **


End file.
